(Dis)Unity
Fragmentation. Division. Fracture.
These are a just a few of the words to describe the story of the Christian Church through the centuries.
As we have been discovering this winter in our Adult Bible Study on Wednesday nights, the history of the church has been shaped by disagreement. In the midst of our differences, we have found it hard to be in communion with one another. So, not surprisingly, our history is one of excommunications, splits, and even violence.
Although this reality may shape our identity, surely we can agree that this is not a Christ-centered strategy for how we are to move forward together.
Jesus’s prayer in the Gospel According to John comes to mind: “I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me (John 17:20-21).”
As Christians, as Protestants, as Baptists, our legacy is one of division. At a risk of oversimplifying our complex past, the fruit of our disagreements has poisoned our relationships, fractured our partnerships and broken bonds of friendship. How do we end the cycle of disunity and discord?
We can break out of our broken systems through obedience to our Lord Jesus, who said: “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all (Mark 9:35).” Humility, and not our runaway egos and visions of personal vindication and grandeur, is the posture that will reset our relationships and repair our alliances.
Fragmentation. Division. Fracture.
These words describe more than the Christian religious tradition. They are also a fitting commentary on our relationships to our fellow countrymen and women. Our predilection toward partisanship and modern tribalism has positioned us to vilify one another. Depending upon who you ask, there is little that unites us. We do not know how to be civil to one another, and we do not want communion with those who disagree with us or see the world differently than we do. We are, I argue, already at war with one another.
All evidence to the contrary, I am not naïve as I sound. I know that we have disagreements; some of them quite significant. But our differences—whether in our families, in our churches, or in our communities and our nation—should not be empowered with the ability to tear us apart from one another. Yes, we have disagreements. Yes, our allegiances to our respective tribes can create rifts. But without a table for us all to sit at together, our efforts to secure our own agendas will be imperialistic and void of any spirit for common ground.
Strangely, I believe that there may be an opportunity for the same institution that seems to have a monopoly on division and dysfunction to lead here. Yes, I believe that the church—yes, even our local church—can model for our community and our nation what it can look like to be unified in a common cause. For us, our confession that Jesus Christ is Lord unites us amidst our differences. The trust that we can have in one another as a congregation of followers of Jesus can become the basis for accomplishment even though we may disagree individually on most everything else. The tie that binds us together is Jesus, not our social or political allegiances.
Jesus holds us together.
And to actualize, and strengthen, this bond, we must practice humility in how our ideas and beliefs intersect with one another. Imagine what the church would have looked like if it had practiced Jesus’s command centuries ago?
Well, Jesus’s prayer—I believe—would have been answered.
We would all be One.
Let's practice unity in Christ even when we want to argue about everything else. Jesus’s disparate disciples turned apostles did just that. And look how that turned out.
Children's Choir Performance
Come to worship on Sunday, February 19th to hear the wonderful voices of our children's choir! Parents: children have rehearsal on Wednesday at 6:00 PM, then another rehearsal at 10:00 AM on Sunday.
Zaxby's 1st Explorers Fundraiser
1st Explorers is having a fundraiser night at Zaxby's in Sylva on Monday, February 20th from 5-10 PM. 10% of the sales will go toward our 1st Explorers ministry. Please come out and eat dinner in support of 1st Explorers!
If You Choose
The man was desperate and deranged by the hopelessness of his condition.
He could not recall how long it had been since he had felt the touch of another person. Disconnected from his community, his family and his friends, the man had been quarantined. His condition rendered him unclean. And as such, he was forced to live like a vagabond, cut off from people, living in shallow caves and shaded groves.
His body ached. He had no way of knowing whether his condition was mild or life-threatening. The man only knew that he was unclean and that he could not be reunited with his loved ones until his condition improved. Until that long-awaited moment of healing, he would be a living dead man; his hope like a rain that falls but never reaches the ground.
The man was a leper. He suffered from a terrible, and liberally diagnosed, skin disease called leprosy.
He had tried most everything he could think of to heal himself. His efforts, however, only aggravated his condition and depressed his already feeble spirits. Staying on the edges of towns and festivals, he could never seem to work up the courage to approach a teacher, rabbi or healer for relief. Since he was unclean, drawing close to others was strictly forbidden and could result in his death.
But this time was different.
The man had heard from other lepers of a man—Jesus of Nazareth—who drove out demons, healed the sick, and taught that the Kingdom of God was at hand. Unable to resist the magnetic pull of this man’s promising presence, the leper seized his moment, breaking through the crowds and flinging himself before the prophet.
“Lord, if you choose, you can make me clean.”
People around him immediately drew back, repulsed by his condition. His statement also drew a smattering of snickers from the crowd. “If you choose?” they repeated. Was healing really that simple? Was healing possible just because Jesus was willing to heal him?
Meanwhile, Jesus had stopped and was now giving the man his full attention. Jesus seemed moved by the man’s proclamation of faith. Shocking the crowd and eliciting gasps, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I do choose. Be made clean! (Matthew 8:3)."
“Immediately,” the Gospel reports, “his leprosy was cleansed.”
*****
This story humbles me and compels me to examine the faith of the leper. First, the leper acknowledged that he was not well. This is not always the case with us, is it? Some of us ignore the deficiencies and dis-eases in our hearts and in our bodies for long stretches in our lives. We choose denial. Or worse, we choose self-diagnosis and self-care. And we know how that typically works out.
I’m also impressed with the man’s hunger to get to Jesus. He takes a risk, violates the cultural norms, and strives with every ounce of his being to have an encounter with Jesus.
And how about the man’s faith? It is a fully committed, no-turning-back, profession of faith in Jesus’s ability to heal him.
Jesus touches him. Jesus heals him. He is made well. He experiences shalom.
*****
This story reminds me of the Jesus Prayer. It is an old spiritual discipline, practiced by the faithful from a variety of Christian traditions. It is simple, and to the point. It is both profession of faith and petition for mercy.
“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon me, a sinner.”
The prayer should sound familiar. It is a combination of well-known scriptures from the Gospels. Followers of Jesus have prayed this prayer—typically in a contemplative manner by internally saying this simple prayer repeatedly—as a declaration of Christ’s Lordship and our need to be saved.
Frederica Mathewes-Green says it better than I can: “The problem is not in God’s willingness to have mercy, but in our forgetting that we need it. We keep lapsing into ideas of self-sufficiency, or get impressed with our niceness, and so we lose our humility. Asking for mercy reminds us that we are still poor and needy, and fall short of the glory of God. Those who do not ask do not receive, because they don’t know their own need.”
As our journey with the Encountering God continues, perhaps this needs to be said: Those who encounter God do so because they truly desire to be in God’s presence.
"Lord, if you choose, you can make me clean."
Actually, the choice may be up to us.
Mission Moment from Romania
Our Church is pleased to support CBF Global Missions in moments like these where unity and love are modeled and shared.
"November made the seventh time that Dutch Baptists have flown to Romania to teach at the Gypsy Smith School in Bucharest. The school meets four times a year for one-week intensive training. We resource coordinators do not have the fun of teaching these enthusiastic Romany believers ourselves, but it gives us great satisfaction to link people who have those teaching skills with leaders eager to learn; to see Christians cooperating across national, ethnic and linguistic lines to advance the Kingdom."
- Keith Holmes and Mary van Rheenen, CBF field personnel in Europe
Charlie's Challenge Was a Success!
My sincere appreciation and thanks to my church family for all the help you provided for the Jackson Neighbors in Need Charlie's Challenge Dinner. Because of you it happened and because of you it was a success. Just know that because of you, a lot of your neighbors will have help with their heat in the cold winter months. Many, many thanks.
- Ruth McConnell
Vests and More Vests!
Help! WMU has learned that 32 vests are needed for Royal Ambassadors to use to display missions badges they earn. A small group of women has met twice to make GA and RA vests but we need more help in order to complete the vests in the next few weeks.
If you can sew -- you are needed.
If you can't sew -- you are needed.
There is much to do - from ironing, to cutting out the vest patterns, to sewing.
Our next workday is Monday, February 13th from 11:30 AM to 3:00 PM, in the Mission and Fellowship Center. Bring a snack to share for lunch. Call or email Cheryl Beck -- 369-6909, cheryl_beck@ncsu.edu if you can help. If you can't be there but could sew at home, that would be great too.
Let's show our support to the RAs and GAs as they learn more about missions.
Missions Extravaganza - March 24-25
"By All Means" -- That's the theme of this year's annual meeting of Women's Missionary Union of North Carolina, which will be held Friday, March 24th and Saturday, March 25th, at First Baptist Church, Greensboro. Outstanding workshops, inspiring music, and creative worship will encourage and motivate. The featured speakers are Nik and Ruth Ripken who served as missionaries in Africa for 30 years. Nik is the author of The Insanity of God and The Insanity of Obedience. Linda Cooper, the National WMU President, will also speak.
If you'd like to participate in this overnight meeting, contact Cheryl Beck. You'll be glad you did!
PassportKids! Camp
This summer, children will be able to attend an overnight Christian camp experience called PASSPORTkids! in Montreat, NC. It will be held at Montreat Conference Center from July 3rd through 6th.
Campers must have completed 3rd – 6th grade to attend PASSPORTkids! Camp.
While at PASSPORTkids! Camp, campers will participate in Bible study, worship, missions and many other fun activities with campers from all over the Southeast!
A deposit of $50 per camper is due on February 17th,
Total cost per camper is $295.
Apply for PASSPORTkids! Camp on our church website here: http://firstbaptistsylva.com/giving/
*Some scholarships are available.
*This experience is separate from 1st Explorers Day Camp.
For more information about PASSPORTkids!, visit them on the web at http://passportcamps.org/kids-camps/